What is Honeycomb? Everything You Should Know About It.
is there anything as beautiful and sweet as fresh honeycomb?
For many people, raw honeycomb brings back memories of visiting their grandparent's farm. A generation or two ago, most family farms had beehives. The bees would pollinate the summer crops and, as a added bonus, farmers would harvest some honey. Often, they would keep the honey in the comb and offer it as a special treat to visiting friends and family. Biting into a fresh piece of honeycomb is a rare and satisfying treat. Plus, honeycomb is nutritious and there are some great health benefits from eating raw honeycomb.
what is honeycomb? what is honeycomb made of?
Honeycomb is made from beeswax cells that are filled with honey. Every day, some of the bees in a hive are making fresh beeswax and adding new honeycomb cells to the hive. The beeswax is secreted from a special gland on the bees' abdomen. It is pushed out as small scales that are oval in shape. When it's freshly made, beeswax is white in color. After it has been reshaped and placed in horizontal layers, the wax turns yellow as the bees walk all over it with their fuzzy, pollen covered bodies.Every day, some of the bees in a hive are making fresh beeswax and adding new honeycomb cells to the hive. The beeswax is secreted from a special gland on the bees' abdomen. It is pushed out as small scales that are oval in shape. When it's freshly made, beeswax is white in color. After it has been reshaped and placed in horizontal layers, the wax turns yellow as the bees walk all over it with their fuzzy, pollen covered bodies.
how do bees make honecomb?
In wild hives, bees will build comb in To encourage the bees to make honeycomb in straight lines
why add honey to your tea?
First, because it tastes so good. Many tea varieties have sharp or bitter flavors, and honey helps to soften and round them out. Second, it's better for you. While sugar or sugar substitutes are often used for sweetening tea, honey is a natural sweeter with no chemicals or additives. For most people, honey is also better for your glucose levels, raising and them lowering blood sugar levels at a more steady and even pace.
With so many varieties of tea, and dozens of varieties of honey, mixing and matching tea and honey can be a fun and flavorful journey. As a general rule of thumb, pair darker honey with darker tea, and lighter honey with lighter tea. For example, mild acacia honey and chamomile tea is a nice match.
best honey for sweetening tea
The most popular tea variety in America is black tea. It is made from the oxidized, heat-process and dried leaves of the green tea plant. It is rich in flavor and more full-bodied, so a darker honey variety is a good match. A darker wildflower honey, for example, is a perfect choice. Wildflower honey is called a poly floral honey -- meaning that it comes from many different nectar sources, including trees, flowers, bushes and grasses. Wildflower honey is made all over the world, and every where it's made will have a different taste based on what is growing in that region. In fact, the same beehive can produce a springtime wildflower honey that is very different from the fall wildflower honey coming out of the same beehive.
For fruity herbal teas, such as rooibos, raspberry, hibiscus, peach or mango, pair it with a fruity or floral honey such as tupelo, blueberry or blackberry or orange blossom.
For stronger flavored herbal teas such as ginger, lemongrass or nettle, try matching it with a more robust honey such as sage or linden (also called basswood honey).
Best honey for hot tea
A word of caution - do not add raw honey to boiling hot tea. All the tea to cool some first. The beneficial properties of raw honey (enzymes, vitamins and minerals) can be degraded with heat. The rule of thumb is 'nicely warm.' Sip your tea before adding any honey. If you can sip it comfortably (no burning tongues) then go ahead and add the honey.
And remember, you should be buying good quality raw honey from a reputable source. Don't turn around and degrade the honey by overheating it in boiling hot tea.
Best honey for green tea
Green tea is made from the same leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) but these leaves are not oxidized before drying and processing. As a result, green tea has a more grassy and herbaceous flavor profile. It should be paired with a bold, but not overpowering, honey variety. Orange blossom honey, with a strong sweetness and mild citrus overtones is a good choice. Sage honey also plays nicely with green tea.
Best honey and tea for coughs and colds
No one likes a cold, especially when combined with a nasty cough. And over-the-counter medicines full of hard to pronounce chemicals are often overused. A nice cup of herbal tea combined with some raw honey can soothe an irritated throat and calm an angry cough. Tea and honey can loosen the mucus in your throat while bringing anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents to help heal your mucus membranes. Remember, however, do not give raw honey to children under 1 year old.
Final thoughts
Are you dreaming of a nice, warm cup of tea? If you are, then put on the kettle and grab a jar of your favorite honey. At Smiley Honey, our goal is to bring you a good selection of quality raw honey varieties. So click on over and browse our raw honey collection. Whether you are looking for a healthy herbal tea, or a rich cup of oolong, we have the right honey for a perfect match of flavors.